Corporate corruption: a review and research agenda
File(s)annals.2018.0156.pdf (496.6 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Martins Brelaz de Castro, Armando
Phillips, Nelson
Ansari, Shahzad
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Given its extremely negative impact, it is not surprising that there is extensive literature focused on understanding and reducing corruption. However, the existing academic work focuses largely on corruption in government. Yet, corporations play a key role in much of the corruption that occurs in society and are important contexts for corruption themselves; they are also very different from governments and, we argue, deserve focused study and the development of a coherent theory of corporate corruption. In this article, we define corporate corruption and argue that management researchers are uniquely positioned to contribute to the development of a theory of corporate corruption and the development of solutions to prevent it. We then examine the current state of research on this important topic and propose a framework for organizing research on corporate corruption into four perspectives: corporate corruption as rational action, corporate corruption as institutionalized practice, corporate corruption as cultural norm, and corporate corruption as moral failure. We go on to propose a research agenda for management scholars in some traditional areas of management research to take this important but under-researched topic forward, as well as highlight some of the methodological challenges that management researchers face in conducting research in corporate corruption.
Date Issued
2020-07-01
Date Acceptance
2020-06-06
Citation
The Academy of Management Annals, 2020, 14 (2)
ISSN
1941-6067
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Journal / Book Title
The Academy of Management Annals
Volume
14
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© Academy of Management Annals.
Subjects
1503 Business and Management
Business & Management
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2020-08-10